Help Wanted At Area Boards Of Elections

The lack of student interest and older residents unable to work the polls has created a shortage of workers. Hundreds of positions need to be filled before the May 6th primary.

It takes 584 poll workers to get the job done in Greene County and right now the search is on to fill about 200 of those slots. Warren County needs nearly 150 more workers.

The problem in Montgomery County is even bigger.

"We have 360 precincts so we need approximately 1,440 people each election so it's a mammoth undertaking for the county, especially when some years when we have four elections," says Jan Kelly, Montgomery County Board of Elections Director,

Kelly says that she could easily employ 200 more people to serve as paid poll workers on May 6.

"We pay $110 which is the maximum amount that we can pay under the Ohio Revised Code and then we pay for training classes," says Kelly. "And we actually run a nice little Jeopardy game at the end of our training classes for some added entertainment."

The stipend is pretty much the same in other counties and the training is paid for as well. Clark County officials say they are in pretty good shape-it only needs less than 50 people to help fill out their election day workforce.

Officials say those interested in working the polls should call the county board where they're registered.